Old Trail's Three-Year Strategic Plan: 2022-25

The following letter from Head of School Sarah Johnston was shared with members of the Old Trail School Community on Thursday, January 19, 2023:

Dear Old Trail School Community

Over the past three years, members of the Old Trail community, including school leadership, Board members, faculty and parents, have been working on a three-year strategic plan for the school. Despite the immense challenges brought on by the pandemic, our work continued—oftentimes behind the scenes. As such, many of the initiatives that surfaced during our discussions have already been set in motion, and some have already been achieved. 

We are proud of our work thus far and look forward to continuing to deliver on the initiatives that will further establish Old Trail as a leader in the educational landscape and a premier destination for families across Northeast Ohio. In that vein, the following three priorities have been established to inspire continued growth:

1. Create a cohesive, consistent and distinctive Old Trail experience. Students should follow an intentional pathway as they develop and progress through the grades in a clearly identifiable Old Trail School signature experience. In addition, we will continue to invest in teaching excellence and developing a strong faculty culture.
2. Raise global citizens ready to be nimble, empathetic and resilient in a complex world. From the development of an intentional curriculum to fostering cultural agility to implementing programming focused on each child’s potential both academically and emotionally, we look to prepare each student to achieve their best selves.
3. Dedicate to a sustainable future for Old Trail School. To grow both in programming and value, we must maintain financial stability through a well-managed and balanced budget and an eye toward long-term viability. With a focus on the growth of our Old Trail Endowment Fund, we will infuse operating dollars into each school year while simultaneously investing in the school’s future.

I invite you to review this document containing an overview of our school’s strategic initiatives and priorities for 2022-2025. I am a firm believer that plans should be living documents in that they may be amended when specific priorities no longer serve the best and long-term interests of our school. To that end, our Board of Directors Strategic Planning Committee, along with school leadership, will continue to monitor our plan’s progress and relevance regularly and make changes as needed. 

We have achieved much during the past several years and have tremendous momentum as we kick off 2023, our 103rd year as a school. Our Board of Directors, school leadership, faculty and staff remain firm in their commitment to improving and enriching the student experience at Old Trail now and in the many years to follow.

As Benjamin Franklin once said, “Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement and success have no meaning.”

I look forward to our growth!